Thursday, Dec 1
Festival Of Lights
The countdown is on: we have 23 days to find the love of our life or risk no presents under the tree. This is the perfect event for a pre-Christmas first date to get you both in the spirit of giving. This year, more than 1 million lights will adorn the garden — and there’ll even be a carousel to snuggle up on. There’s even an Eiffel Tower complete with lights for that perfect selfie to show your family you have a date (and if they never see you in person, you can say he took you to Paris for the date).
4:30–9pm. VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St. Festival runs every day until Monday, Jan 2. Closed Christmas Day. Tickets $17.86 adults, $10–$13.81 for youth and seniors at facebook.com/events/564673070401160/
AIDS Vancouver Red Ribbon Awards
Today is World AIDS Day and a few of the events are dear to my heart. This is one of them. Red Ribbon Awards are given to individuals and organizations that have had a significant impact on HIV in Vancouver. Live music, food, snacks and gifts will follow.
6–9pm. The Junction, 1138 Davie St. Entrance by donation. aidsvancouver.org/world_aids_day_2016
Youth Together! World AIDS Day
To see the city’s youth get involved is amazing. Every year, YouthCO hosts a World AIDS Day event for people of all ages to celebrate and remember the collective response to HIV. Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week also gets into gear today. This evening features a celebration of our communities’ responses to three decades of HIV, and the many people who’ve been a part of them.
6–10pm. YouthCO, 568 Seymour St. Free entry. Food and $4 drinks will be served. facebook.com/events/1142903479112144
Last Men Standing: Remembering The Survivors
Today about 80,000 people in Canada are living with HIV. This documentary, by Reel Causes in partnership with Positive Living BC, takes you on an intimate journey into the lives of eight men who, despite their early HIV diagnoses, have survived against the odds and found unexpected life and love. If you only see one documentary this year, don’t miss this one.
7–10pm. SFU Woodward’s, 149 W Hastings St. Tickets $15 at universe.com. More info at facebook.com/events/348864908799701/
For more World AIDS Day events around BC: davievillagepost.ca/6795/world-aids-day-december-1-vancouver-bc-events/
DOXA Flipside: Disco vs Punk
Imagine the love pairings coming out of a night like this: twinkie disco queen meets punk rocker Iggy Pop look-alike. To spice it up even more, a couple of wicked queens, Peach Cobblah and Isolde N Barron, will host the night filled with dancers battling with gyrating hips and pumping fists in Vancouver’s legendary old-fashioned dance battle and duelling DJ showdown. A live acoustic performance from legendary punk progenitor-turned-city-father Joe Keithley, leader of DOA, will top off the night. Pick a side: either pull on your sequined platforms or shave your head and dig out your studded leather cuffs and Doc Martens, because there will be a prize for most outrageous.
7:30pm. The Ironworks, 235 Alexander St. Tickets $30–$80 at eventbrite.com. More info at facebook.com/events/211114799310563/
Friday, Dec 2
Frisky Friday
If you’re feeling lonely and want to have a fun night and drink a lot, then just join the ladies and their friends. I’ve been to a few and trust me, I never remember the end of the night — which for me is usually a good thing. Sexy go-go girls and one of the busiest open-format female DJs in the world, Miss M, whose radio and online show “Beeps in your Jeep” is heard in more than 100 countries.
9:30pm–3am. The Junction, 1138 Davie St. Cover $5. facebook.com/events/215948602165309/
Limp Wrist: World Of Warhol
After their smash “Night of 1,000 Divines” at Pride, Limp Wrist is back with a vengeance and brings another queer icon, Andy Warhol, into the mix. Are you ready for one last homo hurrah before the holidays kick in? Peach Does-This-Broad-Ever-Take-A-Night-Off Cobblah hosts, featuring DJ G-Luv and Warhol tributes by Jaylene Tyme, Rose Butch, Chase Porter and more.
10pm–2am. The Cobalt, 917 Main St. $9 before midnight. facebook.com/events/422217938166079/
Saturday, Dec 3
VRM Jingle Balls
Seeing Vancouver Rubber Men and Jingle Balls together kind of makes me shiver because I can just imagine what they would attach to make my balls jingle as I walk — and how heavy they’d be. Today they join with Van-Pah to bring you fetish and pups galore. Come down, and you may find a nice package or two to unwrap. Plus the bartender is pretty hot.
2–5pm. Pumpjack Pub, 1167 Davie St. No cover. sites.google.com/site/yvrrubbermen/
Lumiere
This year’s annual lights event promises to make Jim Deva Plaza and Morton Park come alive. While three new light installations will illuminate the Davie Street plaza, where host Zain Meghji and DJ Grayson Repp will be on hand for the ceremony, DJ Don Cosens and fire troupe Radiant Heat will perform at Morton Park. Following the ceremonies, there’ll be an after party at XYYVR, 1216 Bute St at 9pm.
4:30–8:30pm. Morton Park, 1800 Morton Ave (Denman Street at Beach Avenue).
6:30–10:30pm. Jim Deva Plaza, 1200 Bute St. Both are free events. facebook.com/events/1414299458597592/
Madhaus Presents Tim Burton Theme Ball
I’m going to dress up as Beetlejuice, because if you say his name three times, he comes. I’m just going to let you think about that for a moment. Get set for a great evening of spooky and fantastic performances as Madhaus turns the spotlight on the creepy cast of creative chameleons that make up the dark and alternative scene of Vancouver’s nightlife. Outrageous, fanciful, mind-bending costumes, make-up and props of all sorts not required, but highly encouraged. Pick your favourite character from any Tim Burton movie and enthrall us all.
9pm–3am. Hindenburg, 23 W Cordova. Cover TBA. facebook.com/events/986649634735780/
Sunday, Dec 4
Bright Nights In Stanley Park
Time for the gays to release their inner child. The Christmas train is back, the perfect vehicle to have fun, propose, bring a niece or nephew, or your own children, if you’re lucky enough to have them. This year organizers say 3 million lights will sparkle throughout the park — I’m not sure who counts them but it sounds like we could all get a tan! Live performers and bright displays light the train route, something even the seasoned adult will remember for a long time.
3–10pm. 610 Pipeline Rd, Stanley Park. Tickets $8–12, 2 years and under free: ticketleader.ca/events/bright-nights-2016. Train runs daily until Sunday, Jan 1, 2017. Info and map at vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/bright-nights-train.aspx
Making Spirits Bright Outreach Concert
The men are on the move, at least for one night. Before they start their Christmas shows downtown, the Vancouver Men’s Chorus will head to the ’burbs — Langley, to be exact — to perform at an outreach concert to benefit multiple organizations. If you missed out on getting tickets to the in-town concerts, then this is your next best bet and well worth the trip.
7pm. United Churches of Langley, 21562 Old Yale Rd, Langley. Admission by donation. vancouvermenschorus.ca
Alma’s Birthday: December Downer
The old gal is another year older, though I’m not sure how old because of the layers of makeup. Alma B Itches is having a birthday and since she doesn’t want to clean the house, it’ll be hitched to this week’s Sanctuary. Join her and her first-born, Ilona, as they bring you some super-depressing age-life-and-stuff kind of music. Lots of laughter and drinking guaranteed, of course. I hear go-go bear Addison Reed will be in attendance, and maybe with a little coaxing — and even less booze — he could be convinced to do a birthday strip for Alma, before she dries up, that is.
10pm–1am. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. facebook.com/events/557645371099863/
Monday, Dec 5
Club Combo
I love 1181 because when it is super busy and packed it is really packed. I can grope or be groped and nobody is the wiser since you can’t see past the head in front of you. Sounds creepy, I know, but it is pretty hot. So in a place like that I am not sure how Prancehall is going to bring you World Grime & Dancehall but I am sure going to find out tonight. Oh yeah, and if you feel a bit of a grope, it is not me.
9pm–3am. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. facebook.com/events/381069452225629/
Tuesday, Dec 6
A Christmas Carol: In Gay Apparel
Charles Dickens must be rolling over in his grave — with laughter — as the Leaping Thespians do their take on the holiday classic, but with Eleanor S Crooge firmly planted in the closet. The ghosts of Lesbians Past, Present and Future try to guide her out but to what avail. Tiny Tina has the audacity to ask Crooge for a donation to the Gay Straight Alliance — a request that may send her round the bend.
8pm. The Vancity Culture Lab, 1895 Venables St. Show runs until Sunday, Dec 11 with a 2pm closing matinee. Tickets $23 at tickets.thecultch.com. Info at leapingthespians.com
Dirty Little Secrets
Everyone has dark and dirty secrets, they’re the best kind. Tonight, everyone writes their secret on a slip of paper, after which the improv group acts it out and the audience tries to unravel the mystery. After the show, stick around for the most fun night of karaoke in Vancouver, complete with backup dancers from the audience.
7:30-9pm. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. No cover. facebook.com/events/642343215941799/
Wednesday, Dec 7
Telling It Bent
This is the frank theatre’s creative writing program for queer, transgender, two-spirit and questioning youth between 14 and 25. It’s a place to meet other artists, to express and imagine together, and to learn and nurture writing, editing, performance, and publication skills. Each successful applicant will help collectively create, edit, rehearse and publicly perform their piece over the course of the five-month program.
The application deadline is Monday, Dec 12. Informal interviews with prospective participants will follow. Check out the website for more details: thefranktheatre.com/tellingitbent/
Why you can trust Xtra
